The use of biodiesel in Brazil for commercial diesel vehicles has been authorized by the government on January 2005 by the mandatory use of a blend of 2% of biodiesel. Biodiesel offers low emissions due to a cleaner combustion. Biodiesel is produced by the transesterification of vegetable oils or animal fats and has major environmental benefits such as renewable source of energy, high biodegradability and low toxicity. With the high demands of alternative fuels the presence of biodiesel in groundwater contaminated with gasoline constituents such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) is expected to increase in the near future. In this study, the biodegradation of neat soybeans and castor oil with or without benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and the isomers of xylenes (BTEX) were investigated. The experiments were conducted using anaerobic microcosms prepared with uncontaminated groundwater collected at Fazenda Experimental Ressacada (Florianopolis - SC, Brazil). The concentrations of methyl esters and BTEX were analyzed over time using a gas chromatography. The biodegradation of soybean and castor oil did not show the same biodegradation patterns. The removal of soybean occurred much faster than castor oil. While more than 86% of the soybean was degraded in 41 days, only 42% of the castor oil was removed after 92 days of acclimation. The biodegradation of BTEX was delayed in the presence of biodiesel. Benzene half-life in the presence of biodiesel was 4 fold higher than benzene tested without biodiesel. This is particularly important for benzene which is the most toxic compound among the BTEX an increasing its persistence in the contaminated site also increases the risks associated with potential exposure.